With summer underway, pay attention to skin health
Summer is finally making its presence known here in Northeast Pennsylvania – and with it comes all the joys of the season: pool parties, baseball games, beach trips, and plenty of time outdoors.
While these activities are certainly time well spent, it’s important to remember that prolonged sun exposure can be harmful. In fact, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than 5 million cases diagnosed each year. Among the many types, melanoma is the deadliest.
Vigilance and prevention are key. Wearing sunscreen is a crucial first step, but incorporating dermatologic care into your regular health routine is just as important.
Jignesh Y. Sheth, M.D., FACP, MPH, is senior vice president and enterprise chief operations and strategy officer at the Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. He is dually board-certified in internal medicine and addiction medicine.
At The Wright Center, we’re committed to raising awareness about skin cancer and its prevention. In May, we partnered with Lackawanna Valley Dermatology Associates and the Northeast Cancer Regional Cancer Institute (NRCI) to host our first-ever cancer screening clinic at our community health center in South Scranton.
The inspiration for organizing the event came from two powerful, local stories – one of a young patient who tragically lost their life to melanoma, and another who survived thanks to early detection. Their experiences underscored the importance of early screening and access to dermatologic care.
We’re proud to share that the event was a tremendous success, far exceeding expectations. A total of 64 individuals received free skin checks, and we used the opportunity to emphasize prevention and early detection.
Ten internal medicine resident physicians from The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education collaborated with expert clinicians to conduct the screenings. Of those screened, 21 individuals required follow-up: 15 underwent biopsies and six received cryotherapy. After the clinic, our nursing team followed up with each patient’s primary care provider to ensure continuity of care.
“We’re thrilled that we were able to help so many participants who have suspected skin cancer,” said Dr. Michael J. O’Donnell of Lackawanna Valley Dermatology Associates. “Clinics like these are so important to community health, because early detection can significantly increase survival rates.”
Throughout the event, we cared for patients across a wide range of ages with identifiable skin cancers, reinforcing the urgent need for accessible dermatologic services in our communities. Dr. O’Donnell and his team provided exceptional instruction on distinguishing between benign and cancerous lesions, as well as how to use a dermatoscope, which will undoubtedly be a valuable tool in our daily clinical practice.
In addition to those clinical lessons, we had important conversations with patients about risk factor modification and how they can reduce their chances of developing skin cancer in the future.
Meanwhile, NRCI staff provided multilingual educational materials and staffed an information table with resources on risk reduction and self-exams.
“Patients expressed their appreciation for the event and information provided,” said Karen Ryczak, RN, NRCI’s vice president of programs and surveillance. “We also had the opportunity to discuss our Cancer Screening Navigation Program with staff.”
We’re incredibly proud to provide this valuable service to our communities, and we plan to continue offering more clinics like this in the future. In the meantime, enjoy your outdoor time this summer – and please, don’t forget the sunscreen!
